7.17.2013

JUSTICE??? NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF WHITENESS: The Travesty and Tragedy of the Trayvon Martin - uh, Zimmerman - Trial

--> By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Trayvon Martin

Hello All:

I'm soooo sorry brothers and sisters,
to inform you that there was a trial held in florida and they had the
wrong person as the defendant. I thought the trial was about a guy who
had a gun and deliberately stalked a young innocent unarmed kid, and
shot him for no specific reason other than he was Black. But, somehow
they seemed to be prosecuting (persecuting) the kid who was killed,
instead of the maniac who killed him. Is that right? Did you get that
same indication? Or was I misinterpreting this whole thing?

Young Trayvon Martin

Anyway, I was down in DC celebrating
the 100th Anniversary of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., when I heard
this collective gasp from almost all 40,000 of us at the same time: the
"jury" had found Zimmerman "not guilty" - he was free to go home. It
was like the shot heard round the convention center, response ranged
from shock and disbelief to outrage. No one apparently was prepared
for florida's all white female, miss ann jury to be exactly who they are
- the female versions of their male counterparts - racists to the core.So the verdict is in folks. Zimmerman,
the murderer of young Trayvon Martin found "not guilty" by reason of
whiteness (a/k/a insanity).Did you really expect otherwise? Really!Did you expect justice in florida - Really!!!The old saying that a leopard cannot
change its spots - a proverb straight out of Africa - is as true now as
when our wise ancestors first coined it. Trayvon Martin was killed for
walking while Black, eating Skittles while Black, wearing a hoodie while
Black - for just being Black - PERIOD. Face it, Black people: We are living
in a racist country. It was designed FWO (for whites only) - If you
find that hard to believe, just ask our Indian ("native" Americans)
brothers and sisters. By the way, where are they now - oh, yes, still
trying to get at least one treaty to work, "as long as the grass is
green and the waters flow..." They are all too aware of the escape
clauses used by whites against people of color.The "redneck Miss Annes" were no more
going to find Zimmerman guilty than Paula Deen being able to prove she
didn't say what she said about Black people. They're both guilty; both
culpable, and both racist. "Not guilty by reason of whiteness."
The Trayvon Martin trial - oops there I go again - the Zimmerman trial
made for some good TV, didn't it? It probably had the highest ratings
ever - almost as bit as the OJ Simpson Trial. Only this time you didn't
have Johnnie Cochrane who could really take care of business. I
couldn't and didn't watch any of it. It would have been even angrier
than I am now, had I done so. You see, the fix was already in. After
all, the trial did take place in florida - land of the hanging chads,
Jeb Bush, alligators, crocodiles, swamps, and all that murky stuff. (No
aspersions on my Sorors from florida; if you were running things, it
would be infinitely different).

I doubt seriously that Zimmerman would
have walked had we had a Cochrane in the courtroom. So my brothers and
sisters, where are they now - those lawyers, legal minds, legal eagles
that we need to make sure that we get a "fair shake" if that even exists
in this day and age in the US (guess we'd better start grooming them,
because we are certainly going to need them; not just to chase
ambulances, but to chase justice and wrestle it to the ground, from the
cold hands of the whites who have it by the throat).As a kid from Oklahoma, I used to watch
a fair amount of cowboy movies. There was always some point where the
white guys had killed an innocent Indian, and they were outraged, and
prepared to dispense justice swiftly in accordance with their cultural
imperatives (and rightly so). And some "hero" in the white hat would
come and negotiate with the chief, promising that the "white man's
justice" was even swifter and much more severe; and that they would
handle it to make an example to the rest of white folks about what
happens when you do something heinous. The "good guy" usually ended up
conning the Indian brother out of righteously meting out justice and
exercising their right to punish the guilty; usurping their power.
Justice was not served then - turkey usually got a slap on the wrist,
and was assigned elsewhere to terrorize other Indian nations. The same scenario was repeated every
where whites have set foot - Japan, China, Africa, South America, the
Caribbean, India - the "white man's justice" was more "powerful" than
that of the "indigenous" people. So here we are today - July 2013 - and
it's the sos (same old shit) different day. Floridians - the white
ones - think they have gotten Zimmerman off. They think they have
thumbed their noses at Black people; put us in our "places".
Interesting isn't it how things devolve because people never learned to
read the handwriting on the wall.Listen up, white folks, because you always seem to get this wrong: When God gives you a chance to redeem
yourselves, and you don't take it, there's a reckoning - and it's coming
for florida, the jury, Zimmerman, the lawyer and his wife; the
so-called prosecution; the defense - the whole lot. You guys just keep
piling it on, and, because you have no soul, you can't sense (or feel)
when you've taken one step too far into the land of iniquity. You've
just stepped in the afundisi (ah-fun-dee-see/ = shit), up to your knee
caps, and you're sinking fast. You think you can continue to come up
with different angles and you'll escape the consequences. You may be saying at this moment that
you have no fear of Black boycotts, marches, investigations, or other
means by which we make you understand our displeasure - but what you
failed to realize is that we do really really really have a God who sits
high and looks low and observes everything that transpires - and a
leveling of the playing field, part II, is about to jump off. This is
not just about florida - it's any and all places in the US of A where
repression, jimcrowism, discrimination and outright racism has re-reared
its ugly head, and is looking to re-establish yet another strangle hold
on our lives. I.e. stuff like evisceration of the voting rights acts;
gerrymandering Black neighborhoods; taking peoples homes thru bogus
foreclosures; closing down schools in Black communities under the guise
of low performance; sterilizing Black women; etc., etc., etc. You get my
drift? Emmett Till was an innocent who was
murdered by white racists in Mississippi. His mother made sure the
entire nation saw what they had done to her son. I remember, I was 9
and it was on the cover of Jet and Ebony magazines on our coffee table.
I met Ms. Maymie Till Irving years later, when she was doing a speaking
engagement at the Schomberg Library in Harlem. She spoke of how
people, seeing his picture, were catalyzed into action who would never
have taken a stand before. There is a reckoning when the guilty
are set free and the innocent continue to suffer. "Not guilty by reason
of whiteness" has long been your escape clause, but it's about to be
eviscerated as well. Many have called the recent events a white
backlash - Be that as it may, backlashes have been known to backfire.
Look for a conflagration. By the way, the reckoning works both ways -
for those of deeper melanin who walk lock step with these miscreants,
you can't escape the consequences of your action - or inaction - as the
case may be. I don't know what the Almighty has
planned. I'm not privy to that information; but I do know that
2007-2008 was a prelude to something even bigger; you had an
opportunity to get it right; make a midcourse correction. You got part
of the way when President Obama was elected. Too bad you shot
yourselves in the foot by letting your racism override the possibility
of transforming this into a country for all the people. So look out for part II. And remember
you started it; you had a chance to redeem yourselves and you didn't.
"Not guilty by reason of whiteness," the means by which Zimmerman was
able to walk free for premeditated, cold blooded murder - will haunt you
in the world arena for the rest of your existence. For the rest of my Black family, I've
included an article by Terrie M. Williams, the Diva of PR and author of
"Black Pain" that may help many of you get through this, because we have
a lot of work to do TOGETHER. Enjoy!

BLACK PAIN: 10 Ways to Heal Your Broken Heart

The death of Trayvon-and the acquittal of his killer-has devastated many of us. Terrie M. Williams offers ways to cope

With the senseless killing
of Trayvon Martin, we once again find ourselves mourning a young Black
spirit taken from us far too soon. As survivors, we are charged with
honoring Martin and the countless others we've lost by standing strong,
supporting one another and taking time to consider both our individual
well-being and the collective well-being of our community.

At every turn
in our lives, we learn that no matter our credentials, we are often
treated as "less than" our White counterparts. Taught that we have to
be twice as good to get comparable compensation. Treated as if we are
at once both invisible and highly conspicuous-ignored when we are in
need and profiled when we are simply proceeding. That a self-appointed
neighborhood patrolman targeted Martin because he looked "suspicious"
speaks volumes about the experiences we have in communities across the
country each and every day.

The trauma of racism is accompanied by
post-traumatic stress disorder for many and a great, hidden sense of
pain for most. For those who have been following the events that
occurred after the killing of Trayvon Martin last year, this weekend's
not guilty verdict has been particularly soul crushing-bringing all
that pain, that

Black pain,
to
the surface.So how do we address our heartbreak? Here are some
practices/steps we can all take in the service of
our individual and collective healing.

1) Look Away:

You may need to take a break from the
TV/radio/Internet/newspaper in order to protect yourself. The Zimmerman
verdict will undoubtedly dominate the airwaves for the foreseeable
future; taking a pause from the 24-hour-news cycle does not mean that
you are less vested in justice for Trayvon-but it may be critical for
your self-care.

2) Write About It:

Start to keep a journal-pour your heart,
feelings, emotions into it. Include powerful quotes, clippings from
magazines and even pictures that help you express the range of your
feelings, including anger. Read a blog post that summed up your
feelings about Trayvon better than you can? Print out a copy and include
it in your journal.

3) Let Your Feelings Out:

Unspoken grief and pain are toxic to our
bodies and minds. They keep us from being our best selves. Men, women
and children should all feel safe shedding tears when they come-and the
senseless murder of a teen is certainly worth crying over.

4) Seek Help: Consider reaching out to a professional counselor or therapist to help you process what you feel. There is

no shame

in getting help. I find that therapy is the
gift that keeps on giving. It helps me to clarify my thoughts and
process heartbreaking situations like this. Counseling can be a
necessary lifeline. We cannot be or breathe properly if we don't
release the unresolved pain, wounds, scars and trauma of our
childhoods. We cannot be all that God has called us to be.

The trauma of racism is accompanied by post-traumatic stress disorder for many and a great, hidden sense of pain for most.

5) Redefine "Strength":

We often confuse being "strong" with being
silent. True strength lies in knowing when to ask for help, when to let
the tears flow, when you are overwhelmed. The death of Trayvon Martin
is one that has taken a great toll on our collective psyches... no time
for silence. Be strong enough to be proactive in healing your heart as
you work to seek justice.

6) Get Moving:

Go to the gym or for a
run/walk. Exercise releases tension and helps turn frustration into
feeling constructive. A friend of mine just walked 10 miles to process
her emotions about Trayvon. She left her house feeling angry and
returned feeling renewed and resolved.

7) Shake a Hand, Make a Friend:

Make eye contact with someone passing by,
smile and say "hello"... you may be the first person who made such a
gesture towards them today. Many of us are walking around in need of
love, support and communion with our fellow man and tragedies make that
even more critical.

8) Give Back:

Honor Trayvon's memory by committing a few
hours a week to volunteer with teens in your neighborhood. Affirm the
worth of the young people in your community and let them know that they
are valuable, loved and supported.

9) Fight the Power:

Channel your rage and anguish over the
verdict effectively and get involved with local/national efforts to
fight for justice for Trayvon Martin. Participating in rallies/protests
will allow you to connect with others who are feeling the same way as
you, but don't stop there. If you aren't already, get politically
engaged! Hold politicians accountable and help your friends/family do
the same.

10) Say "I Love You":

Tomorrow is never promised and there are two
grieving parents in the spotlight who will never have the chance to
put their arms around their beloved son again. In the midst of our
anguish over the loss of a child most of us never met, we must remember
to show love to the people in our lives right now, while we can.